Tis Me Michelle

Santiago’s is a staple here in Orlando. I’ve heard only good reviews since I first moved here… Almost a decade ago! I’ve been just a handful of times over those years, but each time has been a different experience and a good one!

The first time I went, I went solo for brunch. Pre-Covid, it was a serve-yourself buffet-style situation. I remember it being awkward cause I was solo, which I usually don’t mind dining alone, but buffet style is kind of awkward. Especially because the space was pretty tight for that kind of setup. However, I remember the food being really good! The next time I went was post-Covid for their ‘all-you-can-eat’ brunch, but not buffet style. You just ordered whatever you wanted from the pre-fix menu, and as much of it as you wanted. There were some yummy options, like a croissant French toast, COME ON. As much as I love eating, I’m not quite sure that I’m a huge buffet person, especially when the price is on the higher end. I’m easy to tap out, but I’ll keep picking at it if I know I dished out the $$$.

I went for dinner for the first time just the other week, with who’s become, my Orlando Food Find Friends. We started with drinks, of course. One friend had a fancy glass of red wine, and the other had a red sangria. Ya’ll, they had a Port Sangria option, so you know I went with that. It’s a sipping sangria, but delicious and totally worth it!

We went IN on the tapas-style menu. Dinner is an a-la-carte menu, so you can choose and pay for what you like. I prefer this because we did try a bunch of stuff, but we shared it all, as you do with a tapas meal. Let me just take you through our order…

Impromptu Charcuterie: First up was the bread service and opted for the sourdough rolls and the Mozzarella Burrata that paired nicely with the rolls. I’m not particularly a fan of sourdough cause it’s… sour. But these were not, and they were soft, warm, and doused in butter. I love me some burrata, but I’m trying to avoid too much dairy, and I knew I had another dish coming. It was good, but pretty standard – nothing overly exciting. The Saganaki was a scene-steeler, it’s halloumi cheese with pita bread, and so yummy. They flambée it for you at the table. It came at the very end of our meal, so I was beyond stuffed and was struggling to eat it. I would totally order it again though.

The veggie section: I think I’ve mentioned in previous posts, that I order Brussels Sprouts everywhere I go. Honestly, I should have some kind of a ranking system of my favorites. Unfortunately, these were not my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, they were good, but like the burrata nothing exciting. Patatas Bravas were bravo! I mean fried potatoes, where can you go wrong? These were my main go-to when I went to Spain. But Santiago’s has toppings I’ve never had on this dish before, but it worked. It was super flavorful.

Next up, the Meats: We got the Roman Meatballs, which come with three hefty meatballs on a bed of pasta. This was super filling, and plenty to share! I love angel hair pasta, so I did enjoy that. The meatballs were decent as well. Then we ordered the Beef Tenderloin, medium. Listen, I like a good steak, but beef can be a hit or miss for me. This was not my favorite. If you like some beef, go for it; my friends both seemed to enjoy it. It was just… too beef-y for me?! However, the highlight dish for me was the Beef Short Ribs. If you are between the two, definitely go for the ladder. They were so flavorful and tender.

And you know, we don’t leave without dessert! There were three options and we ordered two. We got these croissant friend donuts with whipped cream as well as Nutella walnut crepes. The crepes were not it for me, they were dry and didn’t taste fresh. I would recommend the donuts, which were warm, cinnamony, and delightful.

I know it seems like we cleaned house, but there were plenty of things we didn’t order! So just know, there are so many options! It’s such a great place to get with a group of people and just try a bunch of things. The vibe is so eclectic and artsy, which is up my alley. It’s definitely a spot I’d come back to, as I have over the years.

The only downside, parking is annoying. Pro-tip, park at The Fresh Market lot and walk over.

Rating: 9/10